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Show Uncle Sam Lists "Don'ts" for Parents TEN "don'ts" for parents are given by Dr. D. A. Thorn of Boston Bos-ton In the latest bulletin of the children's bureau of the United States Department of Labor. "Child Management" is the title. Doctor Thom Is director of the Boston habit clinics for children and of the Massachusetts Massa-chusetts state division of mental hygiene. hy-giene. The bulletin is intended to bring to parents in concrete and practical prac-tical form the results of modern research re-search in the mental hygiene of childhood. child-hood. His advice to parents could be summarized as follows : Don't be oversolicitous. Children may become self-centered and develop Imaginary complaints simply because Illness is looked for. Don't "baby" your children too much. The child who Is closely tied to his mother's apron strings is deprived de-prived of the chance of learning how to live with his neighbors. Don't try to give your children everything ev-erything they happen to demand. Very early in life the child must learn that things cannot be his simply because he desires them. Don't bribe. So often we hear, "Now, Johnny, be a good boy and mother will give you a penny." Soon Johnny will no longer be satisfied with one penny and must have two or three, or perhaps a nickel or a dime. Don't cheat. Frequently parents will misrepresent or lie to keep a child quiet or gain a desired result. Suddenly Sud-denly they awaken to the fact that their child has no regard for the truth and wonder why. Don't make meaningless threats. "Be good or the doctor will cut your tongue out," or "Be quiet or I'll lick you," may do one of two undesirable things: control the child through terror, ter-ror, which is disastrous, or breed contempt con-tempt for parents whose threats are never fulfilled. Don't talk about or laugh at children chil-dren in their presence. Self-consciousness is harmful and quickly developed. Don't be cold and repelling. A parent par-ent who is too busy to bother with a little child's nonsense will never be bothered by his real problems. Don't be discourteous. Children have their own plans, which are frequently fre-quently utterly disregarded by adults. If you must interfere, show consideration. considera-tion. Don't disagree over discipline before the child. Settle differences in private. |